Nutr Res Pract.  2012 Jun;6(3):221-225.

Effect of zinc supplementation on insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors in obese Korean women

• Kim J
• Lee S

Abstract

Zinc deficiency is known to be associated with insulin resistance in obese individuals. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors in obese Korean women. Forty obese women (body mass index (BMI) > or = 25 kg/m2) aged 19-28 years were recruited for this study. Twenty women of the study group took 30 mg/day of supplemental zinc as zinc gluconate for 8 weeks and 20 women of control group took placebo. Usual dietary zinc intake was estimated from 3-day diet records. Insulin resistances were measured using Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) indices, and insulin sensitivities Matsuda indices, which were calculated using oral glucose tolerance test data. Metabolic risk factors, such as waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and adipocyte hormones such as leptin, and adiponectin were also measured. At the beginning of study, dietary zinc averaged 7.31 mg/day and serum zinc averaged 12.98 micromol/L in the study group. Zinc supplementation increased serum zinc by 15% and urinary zinc by 56% (P < 0.05). HOMA values tended to decrease and insulin sensitivity increased slightly in the study group, but not significantly so. BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and adipocyte hormones did not change in either the study or control group. These results suggest that zinc status may not affect insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors in obese Korean women. Further research is required on a larger cohort with a longer follow-up to determine the effects of zinc status on insulin resistance and metabolic variables.

Keyword

Supplemental zinc; insulin resistance; serum zinc; metabolic risk factors; obese women

MeSH Terms

Adipocytes
Adiponectin
Aged
Blood Glucose
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Cohort Studies
Diet Records
Fasting
Female
Gluconates
Glucose
Glucose Tolerance Test
Homeostasis
Humans
Insulin
Insulin Resistance
Leptin
Lipoproteins
Risk Factors
Waist Circumference
Zinc
Adiponectin
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Gluconates
Glucose
Insulin
Leptin
Lipoproteins
Zinc

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